EDITOR'S NOTE: The Times-Call's series Take Two revisits people we have written about in the past year. Take Two stories will run on Mondays.

LONGMONT -- Novus Folium was once the Next Big Thing.

In 2010, the Longmont hard rock act was crowned by Denver radio station KBPI as the city's best band, and for a while -- with tours, the release of hard-hitting singles and slick videos -- the band looked like it had a chance to break out on the national scene.

Then, as it too often happens in the band world, it all came crashing down last April amidst interpersonal acrimony.

From the ashes comes new projects and new promise.

David Bartlett, Novus Folium's bass player, along with its rhythm guitarist, Van Ver Hoeven, have founded a Longmont-based music production company, B-Normous Productions. The company, with more than half a dozen artists on its roster so far, presented a showcase Friday evening at Longmont's Dickens Opera House.

B-Normous seeks to assist artists in all the business necessities, such as booking, recording, management and publicity, that Novus found itself facing, Bartlett said.

"We provide artists what they need," he said. "Anything we can do."

The company is focused mainly on singer-songwriters and small acoustic acts. One of them is Campfire Vendetta, which features Bartlett, Ver Hoeven and a third Novus Folium alumnus, guitarist Aaron Sittner. Campfire Vendetta was the headlining band Friday night. In fact, the trio is also part of launching an updated version of Novus Folium this year with a new lead singer, Anthony Hamilton.

Bartlett said his experience in the industry has taught him that costs can easily discourage young bands.

"The music business is so incredibly expensive," he said.

B-Normous seeks to guide up-and-coming artists through such potential obstacles.

Campfire Vendetta's next show is Friday, Feb. 8, at Herman's Hideaway in Denver.

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